Basic Statistics

34 COLLECTING AND ENTERING DATA

and how the information has been entered into the statistical package. A code book
for the data for the four males could be written as shown in Table 3.2.

Table 3.2 Code Book

Variable Number Variable Name Description

1 ID Identification number

2 Age Age in years, last birthday

3 Systolic Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg)

4 Gender Male = 1 and Female = 2

The steps listed above in getting the data into an appropriate statistical package
sometimes take more time than the actual statistical analysis. The decisions that are
made in measuring the data and what is entered into the statistical package can affect
what analyses can be made.

PROBLEMS

3.1 For the statistical package that you intend to use, write out how data can be
entered, how random numbers can be generated, and how missing values can
be identified.
3.2 Write the small data set for the four males given in this chapter into an
EXCEL spreadsheet and then enter the data from the spreadsheet into a
statistical program.
If a data set has results on breast cancer that include information on age, gender,
and use of hormones, what checks should be made on the results to ensure that
errors in recording data have not been made?

3.3

REFERENCES

Afifi, A., Clark, V. A. and May, S. [2004]. Computer-Aided Multivariate Analysis, 4th ed.,

Bourque, L. B. and Clark, V. A. [1992]. Processing Data: The Survey Example, Thousand

Bourque, L. B. and Fielder, E. P. [ 19991. How to Conduct Self-Administered andMail Surveys,

Groves, R. M., Dillman, D. A., Eltinge, J. L. and Little, R. J. A. [2002]. Survey Nonresponse,

van Belle, G., Fisher, L. D., Heagerty, P. J. and Lumley, T. [2004]. Biostatistics: A Methodology

Boca Raton, FL: Chapman & Hall/CRC, 23-43.

Oaks, CA: Sage, 2-6.

Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

for the Health Sciences, 2nd ed., Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 15-19.